Demountable rim for vehicle-wheels.



DEMCUNTABLE m1 m2 mam;- WHEELS. APPLIQATIDH FILED KLYYG. 2, 1913. REEEWBD DEC 4. 1911. 1,128,531 fa'tented Fab. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. SCHENK. DEMOUNTABLE 81M FOR VEHICLE WHEELS. AAAAAAAAA 0K FILED AUGTQ, 1913. RENEWED DEC 4, 1914.

1,128,531. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

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z .9 w a W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- NICHOLAS SGHENK, 01 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DEMOUNTABLE RIM FOR VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1913, Serial No. 782,619. Renewed December 4. 1914. Serial No. 875.486.

{1' uZZ whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, NICHOLAS Seamus, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Demountable Rims for Vehicle-\Vheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to demountable rims for vehicle wheels, and particularly to demountable rims of the type in which the permanent rim on the folly of the wheel and the demountable rim are provided with cooperating interlocking portions that are brough into engagement with each other by rotating the dernountable rim circumferentially of the wheel. The dcmountable rims of the type mentioned which have l'ieretofore been experimented with, usually comprised wedge-shaped. interlocking portions that became wedged so tightly to ether after the rim had been in use for a short period that a great deal of trouble and labor'was involvcd in removin the dcmountable rim. The cost of mono acturing such rims was also very high owing to the fact that the cooperating wedge-shaped portions on the fixed rim and on the demountable rim were provided with perfectly true bearing surfaces that necessitated a great deal of lathe work in manufacturing the rims. And still another objectionable feature of such structures was the complicated locking devices that were generally employed to lock the demonntable rim in operative position. Conscqucntly, dcmountable rims of the type referred to have not gone into general use on account of the high cost of manufacturing same and the trouble experienced in disengaging the coiiperating wcdge-sha ed portions on the demountable rim and xed rim during the operation of removing the dcmonntable rim.

The main object of my invention is to provide a. demountable rim of the general type above-mentioned that can be manufactured at a low cost and which is so designed that the demountable rim can be removed quickly and easily from the fixed rim on the folly of the wheel.

Another object is to provide a (lcmountable rim of the character mentioned that comprises an efficient locking means of simple and novel construction for holding the demountable rim securely on the fixed rim and preventing it from working loose. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter ointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view of a portion of a vehicle wheel equipped with a demountahle rim constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the demountable rim in position preparatory to moving it circumferentially into oierative position on the fixed rim: Fig. 2. IS a side elevational view of the wheel shown in Fig. 1 with the demountable rim in operative position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the centering devices or blocks on the fixed rim that cooperates with a similar device on the demountable rim to center the demountable rimand prevent it from moving laterally with relation to the fixed rim; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the do vice or block on the demountable rim that cooperates with the block shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross Sectional .view illustrating another way of forming the interlocking blocks on the fixed rim and demountable rim: Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view illustrating still another way of forming 'said blocks; Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.; Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 9-4) of Fig. 2; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through portions of the fixed rim and dcmountable rim to illustrate the method of using the tool that-is employed for moving the demountablo rim circmnferentially of the fixed rim during the operation of removing the demountable rim.

Referring to Fi s. 1 and 2 of the drawings which illustrate t e preferred form of my invention, A designates a (lo-mountable rim rovided with any suitable means for securmg a pneumatic tire to same, and B designates a fixed rim that is adapted to be permanentlv connected to the fell" 1 of a vehicle wheel, although it is immaterial so far as my invention is concerned whether the fixed rim B constitutes the telly of the wheel or is formed .by a separate member that is connected to the folly of the wheel. The de mountable rim A is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of devices 9. that cooporato with devices 3 on the fixed rim B so as to center the dcmountable rim and prevent it from moving laterally with relation to the fixed rim B, said devices 2 and 3 preferably consisting of blocks of metal spaced at suitable points around the rims that'carry same, and eing so proportioned'that they are of slightly less length than the len h of the spaces between the blocks. The locks 3 on the fixed rim B are provided with inclined faces that coiiperate with 0 positely inclined faces on the blocksv 2 o the de-- mountable rim A, said e06 erating inclined faces having a comparative y steep pitch, or, in other words, having a sharp angle or bevel so as. to overcome the tendency for them to become wedged tightly together as would be apt to occur if they were provided with cooperating faces that had only a slight inclination or bevel. Another advantage of a construction of the character above-described is that a slight circumferential movement of the demountable rim A to the right, looking at Fig. 2, is sufiicient to completely disengage the blocks 2 on the rim A from the blocks 3 on the fixed rim B. I prefer to have the top faces of the blocks 3 incline outwardlyfro'm the front ends a: of said blocks so that the rotary movement of the wheel will tend to keep the blocks 2 and 3 in engagement with each other, the arrow in Fig. 2 indicating the direction of rotation of the wheel. The blocks 2 and 3 center the demountable rim A with respect to the fixed rim B, and in order to preventsaid demountable rim from moving laterally with relation to said fixed rim, I have provided the blocks 2 with substantially inverted V- shaped ribs 2','.as shown in Fig. 4, that fit in substantially V -'shaped grooves 3 in the blocks 3, as shown in Fig. 3, said ribs and ooves commencing at the side edges of said locks and terminating at the longitudinal centers of same and being of the same cross sectional area or shape throughout their entire length. Instead of providing said blocks with cooperating ribs and grooves that extend the entire length of the blocks, the blocks 2 could be provided with ins 2 that enter slots or recesses 3" in the bl when the demountable rim A is arranged in operative position, as shown in Fig. 5. Another slight modification is shown in Fig. 6 wherein the inverted V-shaped ribs .2 on the blocks 2 and the cooperating V-shaped ooves 3 in the blocks 3 are formed only at t e centers of said blocks instead of extendfi ing clear across the faces of said blocks, thus leaving fiat inclined surfaces along the side: of sai ribs and grooves. In both the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and in Fig. 6, however, the cotiperatin V-shaped ribs and oves are not tapere inwardly from the sides toward the center line of the blocks; or, in other words, are not wedgesha ed in plan. Consequently, there is very litt a tendency for said ribs to stick or become wedged so tightly in the grooves that ocks 3' the demountable rim cannot be removed easily, and, furthermore, such a structure can be manufactured cheaply in view of the fact that the grooves can be planed out with a V-shaped cutter and the ribs can also be planed off easily owing to the fact that they are of the same cross sectional, shape throughout their entire len h, jfgf After the demountable rim has been s ipped over the fixed rim and moved circumferentially of same in a direction 0 ositc tofflthat indicated by the arrow in ig. 2 so as to cause the blocks 2 and 3 to enga e eachother. it will be impossible for the emoii'ntable rim to move laterally with relation to the fixed rim. Circumferential movement of the demountable rim A to the left, looking at Fig. 2, is prevented on account of the shape of the cooperating faces on said blocks, and circumferential movement of said demountable rim to the right, looking at Fig. 2, is prevented by a locking means of novel construcblocks 2 on the demountable rim, as shown in Fig. 2, said levers 5 being arranged in the s aces between the blocks 3 on the fixed rim.

he lever or levers 5 may be connected to the fixed rim in any suitable way without departing from the spirit of my invention. In the embodiment of m invention herein shown the front end of t e lever 5 is ivoted at 5 to cli s 7 on the fixed rim and t e cam face 6 on t e block 2 with which the rear end of said lever cooperates isso formed that the rear end of the lever 5 will press ti htly against same when the rear end of said ever moves outwardly. A resilient means, preferably a. spring-actuated plunger 8, is employed for exerting outward pressure on the ree endrof the lever 5 so as to always hold said lever tightly against the block 2 and thus compensate or provide for any stretch in the demountable rim A. In other words, if the demountable rim should stretch, this will not cause the lockin lever 5 to become useless or fail to constant y exert pressure on the block with which it cooperates and thus hold the blocks on the demountable rim in snug engagement with the blocks on the xed rim because the plun er 8 always exerts outward pressure on the rec end f the lever 5, and the block against which the free end of said lever bears is provided with a cam face 6 that compensates for an slight circumferential movement or stretc ing of the demountable rim in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The

cross-piece of said bracket and a collar 11 on said plungu. as shown in Fig. 'i". lYhenever it is desired to release the demonntahle rim the tree end of the lever B i pressed downwardly below the bottom face of the block 2, and a pin 8;, shown in Fig. i, is inserted in a hole in the plunger. shown in big. '4'. so as to act as a stop that bears against the undcr ide of the :ross-piece f the bracket 9 to hold the plunger retracted or in its inoperative position. In order t lacilitate the removal of the demountahle rin'i, I have formed notches 12 in the denn'aintable rim and in the fixed rim, in the paces between the blocks on said rims, so that a suitable tool C of any preferred construction can be engaged with said notches, as shown in Fig. 10. and used as a lever to move the demountabl rim eircuniferentiallv ot' the fixed rim so as to disengage tl e cooperating blocks on said rims.

In practice I prefer to use an auxiliar, locking de ice so as to eliminate the possibility of accident in case the locking lever 5 should break. Said auxiliary locking device is of novel construction and comprises two members 13 adapted to be arranged in one of the spaces formed between the cooperating blocks on the two rims. and a means for expanding the members 13 or forcing them apart so that one member will exert pressure on the front end of one of the blocks 2 in one direction and the other member will exert pressure on the rear end the adjacent block in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner ends 13 of the members 13 are pointed or inverted V-sh'ipe, as shown in Fig. 8, and the. means that I prefer to use for expanding said members or moving them in opposite directions consists of two wedges ll arranged at opposite sides of said members between the pointed ends 13 of same, and a bolt 13 for drawing said wedges together. (me of the members 13 is preferably provided at itsv outer edge with a llange 33, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9, that bears against one edge of the fixed rim so as to prevent said member from moving transversely of the rim when the bolt 15 is tightened, and the other member 1?; is provided with a similar flange i that bears against the outer edge ol' the demountahle rim.

-l locking devic of the construction just described is positi c. it simple to operate, it is absolutely reliable, and in view of the fact that it eonu'nises two members 13 and two wedges for separating said members, it exerts equal and uniform pressure on the two adjacent blocks on the rims with .vhieh it cooperates.

lla ping thus described my lIiVviitlOIl, what i c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters l'allllt is:

l. In a dcinountahle wheel rim, the combination of a tixed rim provided with on said bloclm lot spaced hloclis whose top faces are inclined abruptly longitudimillv of the blocks, a deinountable rim provided with spaced blocks whose inner faces are inclined abruptly in the opposite direction. cooperating means preventing said rims from moving laterally with relation to each other, and a movable locking device onone of said rims, a cam surface upon the other rim, said locking device bearing against said cam siu't'ace and thus automatically taking up or compensating for any slight circumferential movement or stretching of said demountable rim.

:2. In a demountable wheel rim, the, combination of a fixed rim provided with spaced blocks whose top faces are inclined abruptly longitudinally of the blocks, a demountable rim provided with spaced blocks whose faces are inclined abruptly in the 0pposite direction, cooperating ll-shaped ribs and grooves on said UlOCkS of the same cross sectional. area or shape throughout their entire length for preventing said rims from moving laterally with relation to each other, two separable members interposed between two adjacent blocks on said rims and provided with pointed ends, wedges interposed between the pointed ends of said members, means for drawing said wedges together, and means on said members for preventing them from moving transversely of said rinis when said wedges are being drawn together.

3. A demountable rim for vehicle wheels comprising a fixed rim, a demountable rim, cooperating devices on said rims that are adapted to be brought into engagement with each, other by circumferential movement of said (.ltlfifillllillbll. rim in one direction, and-a locking device that prevents the deniountable rim from moving circumferentiallv in the opposite direction and which anti inatieallv takes up any slight circumferential play that develops between said rims.

l. in a demountahle wheel rim, the combination of a lined rim provided with spaced blocks whose top 1 aces are inclined abruptly longitudinallv of the blocks, a demountable rim provided with spaced blocks whose inner faces are inclined abruptly in the opposite direction, a movable locking device on one of said rims. an abutment on the other rim which said locking device engages. one of said elements having an inclined surface, and resilient means that eX- erts pressure on said locking device.

5. In a wheel. the, combination of two rims, one of which arranged inside of the other, cooperating means on said has for preventing relative lateral movement and for preventing one rim from moving circunrlerentially oi: the other in one direction, and a locking means for preventing said rim from moving circumferentially signature in the presence of two wimeses, g1 the otheg clirecionfl saidvlocking meafils this twenty-ninth day of July 1913.

eing so esigne t at it automatica y T takes up or compensates for any slight cir- IJCHOILAS SLHENK' 5 cumferential movement or stretching 0f one Witnesses:

of Said rims. WELLS L. CHURCH, In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

